WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNC Wilmington athletic department will recognize retired coach and athletic director William J. “Bill” Brooks during a special halftime presentation Wednesday during the UNCW-East Carolina men’s basketball game at Trask Coliseum.      The Seahawks and Pirates tip off at 7 p.m. in the annual renewal of one of college basketball’s best rivalries, and a large crowd is expected to be on hand.

      Brooks is widely recognized as the architect of UNCW’s athletic program, serving simultaneously as athletic director, men’s basketball coach, baseball coach and head of the school’s physical education department at one time. He oversaw UNCW’s athletic fortunes from 1951-91, helping the Seahawks rise from a junior college power to their current status at the NCAA Division I level.

      In 1985, Brooks led the way as UNCW obtained membership in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Seahawks have since captured 29 conference championships in the league.

      The native of Wilson, N.C., is a member of the UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame, the National Junior College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.